Action/reaction: Harbaugh and the NFL, T Robinson to the Niners, T Williams to Yale, Clemson and my AP poll (updated with note for CU fans)

*** Two things, Tigers: 1) I know South Carolina is a state and a major university, not a “Carolina directional school.” That was a joke. 2) Feel free to hammer away at me: Criticism is always welcomed on the Hotline, but profanity is not. Lewd comments won’t get through the filter. OK? Thanks.

We’ll start again with Stanford Coach Jim Harbaugh and the issue that just won’t fade: The courtship, or potential courtship, of Harbaugh by NFL teams.

I’m sure he’s very upset about having his name in the news like this. Just devastated.

Action: Report surfaces on National Football Post that numerous NFL teams (Jets, Rams, Lions) have Harbaugh on their radar.

Reaction: Where there’s smoke, there is, at the very least, smoke: The continual reports don’t mean any of the teams plan to hire Harbaugh or that he’d necessarily accept their offers. But coming public through what appears to be a Harbaugh PR pipeline, they clearly indicate an open mind on his part.Reaction II: That open mind is the result of 1) Harbaugh trying to get an NFL job, and/or 2) Harbaugh or his agent trying to raise the price tag for his Stanford three-year extension, which has not been signed.Reaction III: It’ll be interesting to see whether Stanford gets into a bidding war, possibly with itself (in true Giants-esque fashion) and nobody else. Athletic Director Bob Bowlsby’s in a tough spot, partly the result of offering an extension months ago — before Harbaugh had any possible options or firm offers. Does Bowlsby commit even more than the reported $1.25+ annually? Or does he stand his ground?

Action: Ted Robinson hired as the voice of the 49ers.Reaction I: A home run for the 49ers and their fans: Robinson’s a pro’s pro.Reaction II: A strike out for Bay Area and Pac-10 college football, which will be losing one of its sharpest chroniclers. (Robinson’s schedule will allow him to continue to broadcast college basketball, however.)

Action: Yale hires former Stanford player/assistant Tom Williams as its head coach.Reaction I: A good fit for someone who could have been a Rhodes Scholar (but chose coaching instead). Also a good fit given that Yale’s athletic director, Tom Beckett, was a Stanford associate AD during Williams’ playing days on The Farm.Reaction II: Look for Williams to turn Yale into an Ivy power in 3-4 years. I continue to believe he’ll eventually be Stanford’s head coach, although that could be years and years away.

Action: More than 100 Clemson fans rip me (on the Hotline comment board) for leaving the Tigers off my top-25 ballot even though they’re No. 12 in the AP poll.Reaction I: Not. A. Typo.Reaction II: If I didn’t have the Tigers ranked last week, I’m certainly not going to put them on the ballot after wins over not-even-close-to-ranked East and South Carolina.Reaction III: Here’s the background: For the week of Dec. 29 – Jan. 4, the Tigers were No. 20 in the AP poll but not on my ballot (and I never heard a peep from anyone, by the way). Then, with Clemson beating up the two Carolina directional schools, a slew of higher-ranked teams lost and the Tigers subsequently jumped to 12th. Unimpressed with the wins, I continued to leave Clemson unranked. Because of the eight-spot climb, my ballot became an outlier and Clemson fans unloaded.Reaction IV: When the Tigers’ strength of schedule climbs into the top 250, I’ll consider them.

Action: Florida defensive coordinator Charlie Strong, an African American, says having a white wife is a reason he has never been hired as a head coach.Reaction: Good for Strong, going on the record. It’s one thing for journalists to report it (ESPN’s Mark Schlabach), or former NBA stars to say it (Chuckster). But it packs more of a punch when Strong talks about it on the record. “Everybody always said I didn’t get that job because my wife is white.”

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*** Two things, Tigers: 1) I know South Carolina is a state and a major university, not a “Carolina directional school.” That was a joke.

Or maybe you’re just too stupid to realize it until someone spoon feeds the information to you. You want to explain your SOS predicament as well in some stupid way? Maybe you could use this one: SOS isn’t really that important. That was a joke.

JZ

Hey Idaho Nick,don’t you have a patato field to plow you dumb hayseed

GBBS

JZ -

Did you go to the Dan Quayle School of Spelling and Grammar? It’s fun seeing so many people getting honked off about a basketball poll. So what if one writer did not see the rankings the same way. The point of the poll is to get a consensus opinion. The problem with the polls is that there is so much speculation on reputation that teams which should be ranked are not. Given the great amount of East Coast bias against western schools, it seems only fair that it goes both ways.

URAHUGEMORON

So, it was Clemson’s strength of schedule that you had a problem with. What about the fact they have a nearly identical SOS rating to (AND FEWER LOSSES than) Texas, whom you have ranked No. 5.

Mark

Out of curiousity, just where would you rank Clemson?

Vince with ShamWOW!

JZ,

You have erred in your spelling of “patato”. It’s “patatoe” of course!

Elvis McGuirt

As a fellow sports reporter (they do actually let you report, right?), I have to tell you, Jon, the disrespect you’ve shown Clemson in the AP basketball poll, coupled with your ranking South Carolina football way too high last year for as long as you could, makes me think of you as a walking sack of phlegm whose vote reflects a personal agenda. May you meet sputum at every turn.

Jacob

your retarded. When they were 20th it was somewhat perceivable that you didnt see them in your rankings, but after deserving a 12th now 11th ranked rating they should be in your rankings. You obviously have a predisposition to hate Clemson, or else you shouldnt have the right to be a voter.

Sam

I really hope this guy has the guts to react now, after his embarrassing display of knowledge on the response. If he wants to continue being a credible reporter then he better have a good excuse. I will never read the guy or this paper again. I am going to cancel my subscription, this guy is a fraud!

Tyrelle

So Jon is on to something that every other voter has missed. Give the man a raise!

Blake Davenport

haha i love it, just about everyone here has discredited your entire summary of clemson basketball with absolutely no research what so ever.

good job idiot

Idaho Nick

Sure, JZ. Glad you took time out from your work as a tobacco shed manager to remind me where I’m from. And damned glad of it.

Idaho Nick

I’m telling you, the 250 number was a purposeful exaggeration. You all are a bunch of ‘tards for responding.

killabeez

Clemson went 10-6 in arguably the hardest conference in America last year and earned a 5 seed in the NCAAs… That’s struggling?

Bryan

Is this moron serious?

Chip

Way to back up your already weak argument with some even weaker “reaction” comments. In your case, I guess AP stands for “Altered Perception” when it comes to voting.
Reaction II- Yeah, certainly not after Beating a Directional School in South Carolina @ South Carolina by 12 points when just a few days later that same South Carolina team goes and beats Baylor @ Baylor, a team you surprisingly still have ranked. I’d love to hear your logic there.
Reaction III- oh yeah, your ballot was an outlier, but it was an outlier the week before too. It is sad that people like you do get to vote. Albeit, the polls mean nothing in January, but you should try at least to do some research and actually watch BB GAMES. Have you even watched Clemson play once this year, be honest. Winning @ Illinois. Winning @ Miami by 19 pts. I just don’t think you have and are scared to back down from your stupid argument.
Reaction IV – Which Tigers are you referring to here. I beleive the 50 or so people who have mentioned it already show that you did absolutely no research in looking this up. With a SOS of 70 (average) right now and the next three games with NC State, Wake, UNC (I would say SOS will go up). so if the Tigers somehow manage to win 2 of those games, what will be your argument to keep them out then.

You are wrong here. Plain and Simple. Too bad just you and the dumb poster from Idaho are the only ones that can’t see it

Idaho Dick

Hey Idaho…
Are you seriously defending Jon on this one? Really?
He is so outrageously in left field on his picks that I find it hard to see how you are getting his back on this. Please let me know how you can agree with his pick.

Packattack

So what does that make you Nick? Have you not responded to all of these people and by the way I have no connection with Clemson. His poll is a joke no matter who you pull for and so are you.

mez

“I’m telling you, the 250 number was a purposeful exaggeration. You all are a bunch of ‘tards for responding.”

says the guy responding over and over about something that has absolutely nothing to do with him

http://clemsongnomeproject.blogspot.com GNOME

As of this morning on sportsline.com, Clemson’s SOS is 44.

15-0
SOS of 44

Yeah, doesn’t sound like a Top 25 team at all. Let’s vote for BC who lost to Harvard instead!

Matt

Hey Wilner – Be smart. Let this drop… the longer you drag it out and make up facts to support your ridiculous premise, the more you look like an idiot to ALL fans. It’s like the guy driving down the road who wonders why hundreds of other guys are driving on the wrong side. Be smart, and quietly get on the right side of the road.

Ron

Wilner probaly knows more about judging ballet than judging how good basketball teams are.

Everyone in the US

Jon

Please consider purchasing this and utilizing at a high voltage until all the stupid has been eliminated from your brain

The number 100 comes from Jan’s azz which is where she pulled her info re: Clemson’s SOS.

I suggest everyone that reads the San Jose Mercury News call the editor and ask how it is they can let their reporters mis-state facts and basically lie to their readers.

Garya1k

Bud Geracie, (408) 920-5389.

Sports Department of the paper. Call him to leave feedback about Mr. Wilners apparent incompetence.

webertiger

“*** Two things, Tigers: …2)Feel free to hammer away at me: Criticism is always welcomed on the Hotline, but profanity is not. Lewd comments won’t get through the filter. OK? Thanks.”

I agree that anyone with lewd comments and profanity should be unwelcome. Anyone who resorts to that level has already lost the argument.

However, if the profane comments won’t get past the filter, why you feel the need to publicly note it? It’s simple a passive aggressive shot at Clemson fans. It’s that same thing you did when you defended your poll and logic with outrageous exaggerations e.g. “When the Tigers’ strength of schedule climbs into the top 250, I’ll consider them.”

If you were honest, I think it would be one of two reasons that you didn’t rank them:
1) You haven’t seen the Tigers play enough.
Or
2) You don’t think that Clemson has shown enough yet particularly when you consider their slide in the ACC two years ago. (17-0 to NIT)

Maybe it’s something else. We may never know as long as you keep with the passive-aggressive and snide remarks. I think they hurt your credibility as a journalist.

Matt Weber

Mike

The local media( radio and tv) have gotten wind of this jerk and are ripping him bad.

Money

Wilner now is nationally exposed. Scott Van Pelt on ESPN radio was discussing Wilner on his radio show and how absurd it was to leave clemson out of the top 25.

Charlie

Wow. You are just plain flat wrong with the strength of schedule. Since that is essentially your basis for leaving us off, you and your poll have zero credibility. Its a joke.

Colby

At least you’re purty…

IdahoNicky

IdahoNick must be Wilner’s mom.

Jacob

If the SOS of 250 was a purposeful exaggeration, than he still has not explained why he has Clemson out of the top 25. A logical explanation is all people want.

TommyCoug

Well, Jon, this is post #130…I’m currently last, at the bottom…and I’m not going to comment on CLEMSON! Aren’t you pleased?

I am going to comment on your seeminly incessant need to make a case for the lack of black major college football coaches. And now you have your hearsay example…the quote from Charlie Strong.

Well, I will be watching the BCS game in 2+ hours and I could care less what color the DC for U. of Florida is…or for that matter the head coach.

Are you a race bater? Are you an anarchist…would you shout “fire” in a crowded theatre? You or Obama is not going to change this by yourself or making note of what C. Strong or “Chuckles” say verbally. These are weak arguments to be making them universal…and you should know that..then, other media like the soft emotional approaches rather than hard facts anyway.

And good or bad records in the NFL, by black coaches don’t matter either. I believe that most people…and those posting here…are far beyond the years prior to the 1960′s in this country. Most don’t care what the “color” is of their coach…he or they just have show improvement in their programs over some reasonable time period and to win more than they lose.

When the hiring year is over for 2009, you should tabulate the # of black head football coaches at major universities and comparing them to 2008. Use some math (addition, subtraction, division and % calculation) then give us a report on the difference and percentage increase. I still won’t care much, but maybe it will make you, and some others, happy!

If you don’t stop this…I am going to ask you to tabulate the # of Samoan head coaches (sure are a lot of players with that heiritage in the college and pro ranks) and maybe Mexican head coaches (a fair number of players there also).

http://www.tigernet.com FrankHowardsGhost

Sorry TommyCoug but I can’t let Jon off the hook. He must face the music for his lies, mis-statements, and lack of concern for what he puts out for his readers to read.

Leftcoast

I’m reminded of the William Shatner Fanboy skit …. Clemson fans, get a life! There’s a whole big world out there. You sir you must be thirty – have you ever kissed a girl? And look at those clothes! Get your own apartment, and throw away those ears! It’s just a mid-season poll!

FiveForksBigCat

Dude, your cluelessness can’t be hidden now. Do your readers or editors know that you are voting and writing about what you don’t know, and that you are following up with contrived posturing? Why don’t you just forgo whatever flawed reasoning you’ll dream up once the Tigers’ place can be denied by no one, and hold onto to this senseless stance. You wrote the heading that belongs over your basketball poll in your analysis of the final football coaches poll: Are They Paying Attention?

tom nelson

so…has this moron responded to the new 130+ angry comments from clemson fans yet? I want to read his response. Morons are entertaining